Improved buckle



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVED BUCKLE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent` No. 56,785, dated July 3l, 1866.

To all whom 'it may concern: Y

Be itknown that I, NICHOLAS MURPHY, of Washington city, in the county of Washington, and in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness -Buckles and Buckles for other purposes 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the buckle with two springs, the top part raised to receive or release the thong or strap. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the buckle with one spring in the position of buckle in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the under side of the end of a strap riveted to the buckle at each end of the buckle. Fig. 4. is a view similar to the above, the strap being fastened at one end instead of the two ends of the buckle. Fig. 5, a vertical section, showing the buckle and the thong or strap in the position they hold in use.

The nature of my invention-consists in forming a buckle of two pieces of brass or other metal by stamping or casting them into the desired forms with one, two, or three springs, as hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

In the construction of my invention I use sheet-brass or other metal and cut it to the size of buckle required. I then stamp or turn up the two sides, `leaving a space between them corresponding to the width of the strap to be used. These edges or sides taper down toward the front of the buckle nearly to a point, so that when the strap is put in and buckled the front end will lit tightly on the strap, as shown by the part A. The rear ends are the highest, and are fastened together by rivets, which act as pivots, on which the Vupper part, B, of the buckle turns, the upper part being let into the turnedup sides of the lower part, as seen in Fig. l.

In one of the buckles two springs are used, as in Fig. 1, which serve assprings on which the hinged end of the upper part of the buckle turns in buckling and unbuckling when in use, and also to press the strap up and hold it in its place in the buckle. Portions of the metal are cut out of the lower part of the buckle to make it tight. The upper portion is made about one-fourth shorter than the lower port-ion of the buckle, s0 as to allow room for the .thong or strap to pass in and out and allow the buckle to open and close. The tongue of the buckle is on the Linder side of this part of the buckle, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, at a.

It will be noticed that the tongue is a little inclined, and that it is placed a little in front of the pivots b, as shown in Fig. 5. By this construction the piece `1B and' its tongue c, turning on pivots b, act as a lever to draw the strap tight, and the pressure or st-rain being at a point in front of the pivots, the piece B is easily kept in its flat position.

When the two side springs are used the heels c lof the piece B, which come in contact with the springs, project a little in rear of the pivots, so that the springs are enabled to act. advantageously upon the piece B.

Having constructed the buckles as described, I attach them to the strap or thong at one end of the buckle, as at Fig. 4, or at both ends, as in Figs. 3 and 5, by rivets or any other` convenient means, so as to make the same secure to the strap or thong. Having done this, the buckle is ready for use. I then lift up the upperor top part of the buckle from the front` end, causing it to turn on its pivots b b, Figs. l and 5, making it describe a little more than a quarter of a circle, thus raising the tongue on a line parallel to the strap, leaving the buckle open. The strap is then pushed through and drawn to the desired hole, and the raised part of the buckle is pushed down, the tongue passing into the hole through the strap and fitting close on. the strap, and holding it securely, tightening by pressure.

It is seen that in the construction of my buckles I may use two springs, as in Fig. l, or one spring, as in Fig. 2, or combine the three springs 5 but whether I use the one, two, or three springs, they are all for the same purpose and effect the same thing, only a varied form.

My buckle is more convenient in operation Atwo pieces A and B, when the tongue a and than ordinary buckles from its easiness and In testimony thatIclaimthe above-described simpleness. buckle I have hereunto signed my name this Having1 thus fully described my invention, 4th day of June, 1866.

what I claim as new is- The combination and arrangement of the N' MURPHY Witnesses:

JOHN PETTIBONE,

pivots b are arranged as specified, substan- M. P. GALLAN.

tially as and for the purposes set forth. 

